Virtual networking can network virtual machines (VMs) in a manner analogous to the way physical networking is used to network physical devices. Typical virtual networking components include virtual switches, virtual switch ports, and virtual network interface controllers (vNICs). Virtual switches allow VMs on the same physical host computing system, or across physical host computing systems, to communicate with each other using the same protocols that would be used over physical switches, without the need for additional networking hardware. Multiple virtual switches can be created on a single physical host computing system. Virtual switch ports on a virtual switch provide logical connection points for virtual devices, such as VMs, and between virtual and physical devices. Typically, each virtual switch is capable of having several thousand virtual switch ports.
In most cases, a virtual switch port must be available for a VM to power on. Typically, administers will configure a virtual switch to have enough virtual switch ports to accommodate the maximum anticipated number of VMs. However, this may result in consuming additional resources if a separate process is used for implementing each virtual switch. Further, this can result in a significant number of unused virtual switch ports, which can introduce security threats and expose VMs to external attacks and exploits, such as an intruder gaining unauthorized access, malware, spam and/or phishing.